Planned Parenthood Urges Arkansas Governor to Veto Most Extreme Abortion Ban in U.S.

Contact: Planned Parenthood Action Fund Media Office, 212-261-4433

For Immediate Release: 02.28.13

NEW YORK, NY – Planned Parenthood Action Fund today urged Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe to veto the most restrictive ban on safe and legal abortion in the country. The blatantly unconstitutional 12-week abortion ban signals that 2013 may be even worse than the record breaking years of 2011 and 2012 for state legislation that limits women’s access to health care.

On Tuesday (2/26/13), Governor Beebe rightly vetoed a bill (HB 1037) that could have devastating consequences when a woman is experiencing medical complications. Unfortunately, in a brazen affront to the needs of women in Arkansas, anti-women’s health politicians in the House yesterday (2/27/13) and Senate today (2/28/13) overrode that veto.

Statement from Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund

“Most people in Arkansas and across America know that abortion is a deeply personal and often complex decision for a woman to make. Politicians should not be involved in a woman’s personal medical decisions about her pregnancy.

“The Arkansas Legislature should be focused on pressing issues like jobs and health care, not passing bills to intrude into women’s personal medical decisions. This extreme legislation would insert politics into women’s personal medical decisions, and we urge Governor Beebe to veto it immediately.”

BACKGROUND:

Despite consistent support by a majority of Americans, opponents of women’s health continue to work tirelessly to chip away at or limit access for women. Last month, the Guttmacher Institute released a report showing that 43 provisions were passed in 19 states last year to restrict access to abortion — the second-highest number of such measures passed in a single year (behind only 2011).

In a Pew poll released last month, more than six in ten (63 percent) respondents said they would not like to see the court completely overturn the Roe v. Wade decision.

A Wall Street Journal/NBC poll released last month found that a majority of Americans (70 percent) oppose efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade — marking the highest percentage on this question since 1989.

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Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including voter education, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.